Ring-inserter for milking-machine teat-cups



M. LEITCH.

mNG mSERTER FOR MlLKiNG MACHINE TEM CUPS.

APPLICATION FILED APK?, 1919A ateme Dee. 28, i929,

MEREDITH LEITCH, 0F POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 THE DE LAVAL SEPARATOR COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

17 'o all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MEREDITH LnrToH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Poughkeepsie, l county of Dutchess, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ring-lnserters for Milking-Machine 'Feat-Cups, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. y

rllhe object of my invention is to provide means for inserting expanding rings into elastic tubes. The` invention, while applicable to other analogous uses, is particuuarly adapted for the insertion of the metallic ring that is used to expand a part olf the flexible liner in certain types of teat cups for milking machines.

In the drawings, which show a ring inserter embodying my invention in a preferred form:

Figure l is a plan view of one member of the ring inserter.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same member. b 'Fig 3 is a side View of the other mem- Fig. 4 is a side view of'both members of the inserter, in connection with .a flexible tube (in cross-section), showing the parts in the positions they assume during the lirst step of the process of inserting a ring into the tube.

Fig. 5 is a view, similar to Fig. 4, showing the relation of the parts during the second step.

Fig. 6 is a view, similar to Figs. 4 and 5, showing the relation ofparts during the third step.

Fig. 7 shows a tube with the ring in place.

a is a plate having several elastic lingers b upstanding therefrom in a frusto-conical relation. c is a base for a pedestal having a portion d longer than the lingers Zn and of a diameter greater than the inside diameter and less than the outside diameter of the ring to be inserted and above that a short portion e having a diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of the ring. f is one of the rings to be inserted and g a rubber tube.

In operating the device to insert the ring Specification of Letters .Patent into the tube, one of the rings f is placed around the small part e of the pedestal and rests on the shoulder at the top of the large portion d. The fingers b are then squeezed together at the top and one of the rubber tubes is slipped a short distance over them. The plate a and lingers Z) are then forced down around the ring f supported on the shoulder of the pedestal and carry the tube down to the position shown in Fig. 5. The upper ends of the fingers are now below the ring f. The platevand fingers are then lifted off' the pedestal, pushing the ring f ahead of them, until the free ends of the fingers spring into their normal position, as shown in Fig. 6. The plate and lingers are ther.- removed, leaving `the tube with the ring in place, as shown in Fig. 7

Havin now fully described my invention what ltclaim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A device for inserting a ring into an elastic tube, comprising, in combination, means to stretch the tube and means to pass the ring through the stretching means into the tube.

2. A device for inserting a ring into an elastic tube comprising an expansible tubestretching member adapted to be inserted into the mouth of the tube and a ring-inserting member to carry the ring toward and into the mouth of the tube and during such movement to expand the expansible member and thereby allow the entry of the ring.

3. A device for inserting a ring into an elastic tube comprising a member, normally contracted, but adapted to be expanded to open the mouth of the tube to receive the ring, and a member adapted to expand the expansible member and insert the ring through the expansible member into the tube.

4. A device for inserting a ring into an" elastic tube comprising a ring supporting and ring inserting member, and a tubestretching member adapted tol be inserted into the end of the tube and to be moved, with the tube, telescopically relatively to the first member and in such movement to be expanded to permit the entrance of the ring within the tube.

5. A. device for inserting a ring into an Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

Application filed April 2, 1919. Serial No. 286,973..

elastic tube comprising a ring inserting member, and a member movable longitudinally relative to the ring-inserting member and adapted, in its movement, to stretch the tube and permit the entrance of the ring.

6. A device for' inserting a ring into an elastic tube comprising a ring inserting member, and a member movable longitudinally relative to the ring inserting member and adapted, in its movement in one direction, to stretch the tube and permit the entrance of the ring and in its movement in the opposite direction te retract the ring With the tube in Which it is inserted from the ring inserting member. f

7. A device for inserting rings into elastic` tubes comprising, in combination, a member having several elastic fingers adapted to be surrounded by one end of an elastic tube and a member adapted to force a ring through between the fingers so as to separate themand expand the surrounding tube and admit the ring.

8. A device for inserting rings into elastic tubes, comprising, in combination, a member having several flexible fingers .in frustoconical relationv adapted to have the small end of the cone frustum surrounded by an elastic tube, and a member adapted to force a ring from the large end of the cone toward the smallend, thereby separating the flexieaeae separating the fingers and stretching the,

tube to receive the ring.

l0.` A device for inserting a ring into an elastic tube'comprising a member having an end of reduced diameter over which the ring is adapted to slip, said reduced end forming a shoulder against. which said ring is adapted to rest and beyond the circumferential edge of which said ring is adapted to extend, and a seriesof elastic fingers normally assuming a frusto-conical relation, the approximating ends of the fingers being adapted for insertion into the tube, the fingers being adapted to be moved telescopically along the first member, thereby expanding them and the tube until the tube engaging ends of the fingers override the ringQ f ln testimony of which invention, l have hereunto set my hand, at Poughkeepsie,

N. Y. on this 24 day of March, 1919.

MEREDITH LEITCH. 

